How to request signatures from multiple people

When documents need multiple signatures

Plenty of business documents need more than one signature. A partnership agreement needs both partners. A lease needs the landlord and the tenant. A company policy needs sign-off from every team member. These are everyday scenarios, but collecting multiple signatures can turn into a logistical headache fast.

Contracts, board resolutions, onboarding packets, real estate deals, partnership agreements. The more signers involved, the more chances for delays, missed emails, and confusion about who has signed and who hasn't.

The problems that come with multiple signers

When signatures come from several people, the same issues tend to surface:

• Tracking gets hard. With five or more signers, manually following up with each person eats time and things slip through the cracks.
• Delays compound. If one person in a signing chain is slow, everyone after them is blocked. A week-long delay from one signer becomes a week-long delay for the whole process.
• Version control breaks down. When people print, sign, scan, and email documents back, you end up with multiple copies at different stages.
• Communication gaps appear. Signers don't know if they're next in line or if the document has been updated since they last saw it.

Sequential vs. parallel signing

Two approaches work here, and the right one depends on your situation.

Sequential signing

Signers are assigned a specific order and each person signs only after the previous person has finished. This is the right approach when:

• Approval hierarchy matters (a manager signs before a director)
• Later signers need to see earlier signatures before committing
• The document requires a formal chain of approval

The downside is speed. Each person in the chain adds potential delay.

Parallel signing

All signers receive the document at the same time and can sign in any order. This works well when:

• All signers are equal parties (co-founders of a company, for example)
• There's no dependency between signatures
• Speed is the priority

Parallel signing is faster because nobody is waiting on anyone else. The document is complete once all parties have signed, regardless of the order.

Best practices for multi-signer documents

1. Define the signing order upfront. Decide whether you need sequential or parallel signing before sending. If sequential, determine the exact order and communicate it clearly.
2. Assign clear signature fields. Each signer should see their designated fields highlighted when they open the document. No ambiguity about where to sign.
3. Set deadlines. Open-ended requests drift. A clear deadline creates urgency without being aggressive.
4. Use automated reminders. Signature requests get buried in inboxes. Automated reminders at 24 and 48 hours keep things moving.
5. Track status in real time. You need to see who has signed, who has viewed but not signed, and who hasn't opened the document yet.
6. Keep all parties informed. Notify signers when others complete their signatures. When people see that three out of five have signed, they tend to act faster.

Multi-signer workflows with kitedoc

kitedoc's e-signature feature handles multi-signer scenarios without the usual friction. You upload the document, place signature fields for each signer, set the signing order if needed, and send it out. Each signer gets a direct link to the document with their fields clearly marked.

The dashboard shows the real-time status of every signature request: who has signed, who has viewed but not signed, and who hasn't opened the document yet. Automated reminders keep things on track, and all parties get notifications as signatures are completed.

Tips for reducing delays

Even with the right tools, a few practical habits speed things up:

• Send requests early in the week. Documents sent on Monday are more likely to be signed by Friday than those sent on Thursday.
• Pre-notify signers. A quick message letting people know a signature request is coming reduces the chance it gets ignored.
• Minimize the number of fields. Only require signatures where legally necessary. Excessive initials and date fields slow people down.
• Provide context. Include a brief note explaining what the document is and why their signature is needed. People sign faster when they understand what they're signing.
• Follow up personally for stragglers. After automated reminders have gone out, a direct message to the remaining signer usually closes the loop.